ENERGY TOOL: FIND RELIABLE, ACTIONABLE COST AND SAVINGS DATA FOR YOUR NEXT
RETROFIT PROJECT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY’S ADVANCED ENERGY RETROFIT
GUIDES, AVAILABLE AT BUILDINGDATA.ENERGY.GOV.

The popular ENERGY STARcertification system has beencustomized for multifamily build-ings. With current estimates showing thatmultifamily properties could become 30%more efficient by 2020 and energy costsfor renters increasing 20% over the pastdecade, the certification system will allowbuilding managers to showcase sustainablepractices while reducing energy costs forrenters.

Additionally, the certification system will
be integrated with other green building
programs including LEED.

A report from Fannie Mae and the EPA,
Transforming Multifamily Housing: Fannie
Mae’s Green Initiative and Energy Star for
Multifamily provides insight into the ENERGY STAR rating system for multifamily
properties. With scores ranging from 1-100
and representing a building’s percentile

ENERGY STAR Certification Comes to Multifamily Buildings➙

ranking compared to similar buildings, any
building scoring above a 75 is eligible to apply for ENERGY STAR certification.

The report also showcases the PortfolioManager tool as a valuable resource for mul-tifamily building owners to help pinpointenergy-saving and efficiency-improvingupgrades.

Also included are the results of a 2011
survey conducted by the EPA with over
1,000 multifamily facility owners and managers about energy and water use. It found
that less efficient properties may spend up
$165,000 more on energy than similarly
sized efficient buildings, with the less efficient properties using up to three times
as much energy and six times as much
water per square foot as their efficient
counterparts.

While the certification is new for multifamily buildings, many other types of commercial buildings have been eligible for
ENERGY STAR, including office buildings,
schools, hotels, and retail stores – with certified facilities using an average of 35% less
energy and producing 35% fewer carbon
emissions than non-certified buildings.

ENERGY STAR CERTIFICATION will help FMs
make renters aware of green improvements
made in multifamily buildings.

Researchers point to these results as anopportunity for IT and facility profession-als to increase education for occupantsabout energy usage. While the study showsthat a high percentage of people considerWhile the ubiquitous nature ofcomputers in the workplace hasincreased energy consumption,

a new study shows that power settings
enabled by workers have a greater impact
on plug loads than previously thought.

Monitoring Computer Power Modes Usage
in a University Population, a study by the
University of California, Irvine, shows that
while desktop computers are on up to 77%
of the time, they are left in sleep mode 61%
of that time.

The study builds on the results of a previous survey of the same individuals that
measured occupant perceptions of their
desktop computers’ energy consumption
vs. the effectiveness of energy management settings. While 84% of respondents
reported using automatic power management, only 20% of the same participants
actually had any of the settings enabled.

The study also shows that the earlier
respondents who rated themselves more
knowledgeable about power management
were more likely to place their computers
in sleep mode, with less time in CPU-on
and user-inactive mode.

Plug Load Analysis Highlights Computer Energy Waste➙

POWER SETTINGS enabled by workers impact plug loads to a much greater degree than previously
thought, according to a recent study by the University of California, Irvine.

their computer’s energy consumption,
more training on proper energy reduction
practices, especially automatic settings, is
necessary for buildings to see lower electricity usage.